Italy Considers Concealing State Flights After Satellite Signal Disruption
Italian defense officials are reportedly weighing plans to classify government flights following claims that Russia interfered with the satellite signal of the aircraft carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The disruption delayed her travel to Bulgaria on Sunday, forcing the plane to circle an airport for nearly an hour before landing in Plovdiv.
Von der Leyen, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine, experienced the incident amid increasing reports of GPS interference near conflict zones. Over the past two years, electronic warfare tactics—such as jamming and spoofing, which disrupt navigation signals—have surged near Russian borders, raising concerns among European leaders.
Italian officials revealed that Rome is reviewing measures to restrict public access to details about state flights. This could include limiting published information on government websites and blocking specialized tracking platforms from displaying flight paths. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto had initially proposed such protections months ago as satellite signal disruptions became more frequent.
Recent incidents underscore the growing risk. Earlier this year, Finland’s national airline temporarily halted flights to Estonia’s Tartu due to navigation interference, while the British defense secretary’s plane encountered signal jamming near Russian airspace. Latvia has also reported multiple interference hotspots along its borders.
Under current rules, Italy must disclose ministerial travel plans, including flights, on its official website. However, sources suggest the country may soon stop sharing such information publicly, while still adhering to international airspace protocols.
In February, Italy removed the prime minister’s plane from Flightradar, a widely used flight-tracking app, though it remains visible on other platforms. Officials are now reportedly considering extending similar privacy measures to all high-level government travel.
A recent report documented nearly 80 instances of GPS disruption across Europe, many attributed to Russia. The head of Britain’s foreign intelligence agency described these actions as dangerously irresponsible.
The Kremlin has denied involvement in the incident involving von der Leyen’s flight, dismissing the allegations as baseless. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the alliance is actively working to counteract GPS interference, calling it a serious security concern.
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